Ryan Franklin
Encyclopedia
Ryan Ray Franklin (born March 5, 1973 in Fort Smith, Arkansas
) is an American
professional baseball
pitcher
who is a free agent. He has played for the Seattle Mariners
, Philadelphia Phillies
, Cincinnati Reds
, and St. Louis Cardinals
.
and grew up in Spiro, Oklahoma
. He graduated from high school in Spiro in 1991 and was named to the All-State baseball team. He went to Seminole Junior College, in Oklahoma, where he had a 20-0 win-loss record over two years.
in the 23rd round of the 1992 amateur draft but chose to return to school. He signed his first major league contract with the team on May 21, 1993.
After arriving in the Majors full-time in 2001, Franklin spent the following four years as a starter for the Mariners, posting a record of 23-44. He tied for the Major League lead in home runs allowed in 2003, with 34.
On August 2, , Franklin became the eighth Major League player, and second Mariner, to test positive for steroid
use, receiving a ten day suspension. On December 13, , he was named in the Mitchell Report
to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation Into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball.
After the 2005 season, Franklin filed for free agency
.
.
for a player to be named later, who turned out to be minor league pitcher Zac Stott.
on a one-year, $1 million contract. He signed a two-year, $5 million contract extension with a $2.75 million club option for 2010 on July 5, . He was promoted to closer
on May 17, . Franklin was named to the 2009 All-Star Game
roster. On September 1, , Franklin signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract extension with the Cardinals. In 2009, he finished the regular season with a 1.92 ERA, and 38 saves.
On April 19, 2011, Franklin (who blew 2 saves in 29 chances in the 2010 season) was removed from his closer role after (among other struggles on the mound) blowing four saves in five chances to start the 2011 season.
He was released on June 29, after recording an 8.46 ERA, giving up 44 hits (.367 O-BA), nine home runs. walking seven and striking out 17 in 27 2/3 innings for a 1.84 WHIP in 21 games with the Cardinals in 2011.
, where he had a 3-0 pitching record in 4 appearances.
. He also has a ranch in his hometown of Spiro, Oklahoma
.
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who is a free agent. He has played for the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, and St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
.
Early life
He was born in Fort Smith, ArkansasFort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
and grew up in Spiro, Oklahoma
Spiro, Oklahoma
Spiro is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,227 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spiro is located at ....
. He graduated from high school in Spiro in 1991 and was named to the All-State baseball team. He went to Seminole Junior College, in Oklahoma, where he had a 20-0 win-loss record over two years.
Seattle Mariners
Franklin was drafted by the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
in the 23rd round of the 1992 amateur draft but chose to return to school. He signed his first major league contract with the team on May 21, 1993.
After arriving in the Majors full-time in 2001, Franklin spent the following four years as a starter for the Mariners, posting a record of 23-44. He tied for the Major League lead in home runs allowed in 2003, with 34.
On August 2, , Franklin became the eighth Major League player, and second Mariner, to test positive for steroid
Steroid
A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...
use, receiving a ten day suspension. On December 13, , he was named in the Mitchell Report
Mitchell Report (baseball)
The Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball, informally known as the "Mitchell Report", is the result of former Democratic United States Senator from Maine...
to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation Into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball.
After the 2005 season, Franklin filed for free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
Philadelphia Phillies
On January 13, Franklin signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Cincinnati Reds
On August 7, , Franklin was traded to the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for a player to be named later, who turned out to be minor league pitcher Zac Stott.
St. Louis Cardinals
On January 22, , Franklin signed with the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
on a one-year, $1 million contract. He signed a two-year, $5 million contract extension with a $2.75 million club option for 2010 on July 5, . He was promoted to closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
on May 17, . Franklin was named to the 2009 All-Star Game
2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 80th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 2009, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, the home of the...
roster. On September 1, , Franklin signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract extension with the Cardinals. In 2009, he finished the regular season with a 1.92 ERA, and 38 saves.
On April 19, 2011, Franklin (who blew 2 saves in 29 chances in the 2010 season) was removed from his closer role after (among other struggles on the mound) blowing four saves in five chances to start the 2011 season.
He was released on June 29, after recording an 8.46 ERA, giving up 44 hits (.367 O-BA), nine home runs. walking seven and striking out 17 in 27 2/3 innings for a 1.84 WHIP in 21 games with the Cardinals in 2011.
Olympics
Franklin was a member of the gold medal winning US baseball team at the 2000 Olympics2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, where he had a 3-0 pitching record in 4 appearances.
Personal life
He is married to Angie Romberg and the couple has three children: Logan, Teagen, and Kaylin. He and his family live in Shawnee, OklahomaShawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...
. He also has a ranch in his hometown of Spiro, Oklahoma
Spiro, Oklahoma
Spiro is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,227 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spiro is located at ....
.
See also
- 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game2009 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 80th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 2009, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, the home of the...
- List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report